Hi From Iowa

[nataliestegall]

Hi my name is Natalie. I currently have 2 cockatiels named Louie and Joe. I will be getting a African Gray Congo here within the next month or so and I am trying to learn as much as possible so I can provide the best possible environment for my new feathered friend.

[Pajarita]

Welcome to the forum. Big difference between grays and tiels! We are talking the easiest to one of the hardest parrots so yes, do prepare extensively, please! I hope it's a rehome and not a baby we are talking about (mostly for your sake).

[Wolf]

I would also suggest that you get a good room air purifier as both cockatiels and Greys are dust birds and it will help with air quality and some with the dusting.

[nataliestegall]

Hi thanks for the advice. I have dealt with other birds as well nothing like the African Grey , conures mostly. The air purifier is a good idea and I will consider that greatly. The cockatiels and the new Grey will not be housed in the same room of my house so that will also help.
I would love to adopt an older African Grey, but there are none in my area needing to be re-homed and their hasn't been for the 6 months plus that I have been looking. Not to many people around here have birds so their are none needing new homes. So I will be getting a baby.

[Wolf]

May I inquire as to why they will be housed in different rooms ?

[nataliestegall]

Yes you may. For 2 reasons mostly. 1) From my research cockatiels should not be housed next to African Greys as they will likely not get along and they should not be allowed to land on each others cages to prevent bites between the bars. I intend for the African Grey to be out of its cage a great deal of the time and do not want it to harm either of my other two birds. The cockatiels spend time out of their cage as well and I do not want them to be harmed when they are out at the same time as the Grey. 2) Since I intend for the African Grey to be out a great deal of the time I will house it in the room I spend the most time in. The cockatiels are housed in my living room where the family as a whole spends a great deal of the time and where my kids spend a lot of their time as 1 of the cockatiels (Louie) belongs to one of my daughters. Louie (Cockatiel) is not the friendliest bird when it comes to new feathered friends he is very attached to my daughter and it took a long while for him to socialize with Joe (the other cockatiel). Joe however is much more sociable and introducing him to the Grey may become a possibility once the Grey gets used to its new home and only with supervision as I still don't want any injuries intended or otherwise.

[Wolf]

Thank you for your answer. I asked because I have a Grey as well and she is out of her cage most of the time along with my Senegal, Amazon and Parrotlet. I don't have any problems as there is enough space and places to perch that none of them feel crowded or threatened by any of the others.